Hall-Garon STAR, Lightning NET a point

By on February 29, 2012

"As a team we battled really hard."- Mathieu Garon. Garon made 23 saves, some of the spectacular variety. "We won the game because of him." - Adam Hall (photo by USPresswire / Kim Klement)

Tampa, Fla. – Before last night’s game the calendar read October 7th 2011 the last time Adam Hall scored a goal, no really I’m not kidding a 45 game goal-less streak.  Hall is way too talented to go that long without lighting the light.  And you know that old sports cliché,  good teams get production from unlikely players at opportune times.  Ok maybe I made that one up, but that is what I believe.

So along that line, a tie game at one with twenty minutes in the books.  Then twenty eight playing seconds later Paul Porter  belted over the PA at the arena formerly known as the Ice Palace, St Pete Times Forum,  now called the Tampa Bay Times Forum; “The Lightning goal scored by #18 Adam Hall!” (some guy named Stamkos scored the other Lightning goal)

The Lightning would hold off the Canadiens to secure the must needed two points.  Besides Hall’s big tally hi-lighted by:

A number one star performance by Mathieu Garon who stopped 23 Montreal shots at least a half dozen in spectacular form.  “As a team we battled really hard,” said a humble Garon after the game.  “He’s spectacular,” said Hall of Garon.

Ryan Malone’s departure from the game due a warranted retaliation against the Canadiens which ended up giving the Habs a five minute power play.   Guy boucher said, “The blind hit he (Malone)  got out there, that was dangerous…it’s lucky Malone is that tough.”  The five minutes were killed off with the help of  Garon stopping three big scoring chances.   “I think it was the turning point of the game,” Garon said of killing off the minutes.

Guy Boucher said after the game, “Goaltending can make a difference every game,  so today we needed very good goaltending and we got it.”

“Guys are fighting for each other in here… this is what you play for, we’re chasing, we’re in the hunt,” said Hall.

A terrible tripping call on Brett Connolly at 15:29 in the second, where he clearly got the puck first, the Lightning killed that.

“This is the best we can get from these guys,” said Guy Boucher of the new AHL players brought up.

Maybe this revamped defense, with young, hungry, not forward wanna-bees could work – Brian Lee, Evan Oberg and Mike Commodore.

With ten home games in March and only five away, the points of March must come.  The Lightning must get hot and win at home for the playoff prediction to hold true.

Rangers Friday, Lightning play well against the  Rangers.  At Carolina Saturday… oh no, a back to backer.  Play Garon!

EASTERN CONFERENCE STANDINGS

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